Employing serious game for assessing knowledge of blood transfusion procedure among nurses: A qualitative evaluation and feedback improvement study

Abstract

BackgroundEmploying serious game for assessing nurses' blood transfusion knowledge and skill competency has gained interest among nurse educators worldwide. However, its acceptance by nurses has not been fully explored. AimTo explore the registered nurses' experiences using serious game for nursing skills competency and gather feedback to improve the quality of learning using serious game. SettingAcute tertiary hospital in Singapore. ParticipantsRegistered nurses in inpatient settings. MethodsThis qualitative evaluation and feedback improvement study was conducted in an acute tertiary hospital in Singapore between September 2019 and November 2019. Registered nurses who had completed the blood transfusion knowledge and skills competency via the serious game platform were invited to participate in this study. Individual face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was performed inductively using the Braun and Clarke's six-step of thematic analysis. ResultsA total of 11 registered nurses were interviewed from a variety of clinical areas including medical and surgical wards, and intensive care units. The mean age of the participants was 28 years old. The majority of participants were females (81.8%), with their years of experience ranging from 1 to 13 years. Each interview took between 20 and 30 min. Three themes were identified: (1) novel learning experience; (2) varying levels of appreciation towards the serious game; and (3) navigating the interface and technical issues. ConclusionEmploying serious game for nursing skills competency is considered acceptable by the nurses in this sample population. Compared to the traditional modes of competency assessment, the serious game is innovative and stimulates learning. Nevertheless, more rigorous efforts are needed to improve the interface and technical issues to enhance the user learning experience. Future versions of the serious game will need to be more accessible and intuitive for all levels of nursing staffs.